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Rowdy was born 3/30 and this was 6/25, so not quite three months. I did switch to Lardy after a bit. I was having a hard time getting Rowdy to go while doing the steady drill that Hillman does. Putting dog in sit position and then walking out and throwing the bumper out from you at an angle back.

So, I went to the more traditional approach to steadying Rowdy. But to build his drive I had a birdboy (wife) throw and let him go while the bumper was in the air.

With all the programs you have to read the dog an adjust. Hillmans method of teaching sit worked great for Rowdy and I think has lead to his remarkely (sp?) calm attitude at the line.

Rowdy was born 3/30 and this was 6/25, so not quite three months. I did switch to Lardy after a bit. I was having a hard time getting Rowdy to go while doing the steady drill that Hillman does. Putting dog in sit position and then walking out and throwing the bumper out from you at an angle back.

So, I went to the more traditional approach to steadying Rowdy. But to build his drive I had a birdboy (wife) throw and let him go while the bumper was in the air.

With all the programs you have to read the dog an adjust. Hillmans method of teaching sit worked great for Rowdy and I think has lead to his remarkely (sp?) calm attitude at the line.

Boy is that true! Each dog is different, but I would sell my soul to have had the chance to start my first dog with the Hillman method. I did get to use it with my now 2 year old, and what a difference. I actually ran him in Junior with no pressure to hold him, ever. (I kept my hand on the collar because its stupid not to.) When he ran his only derbies, he was steady as a rock though fired up as all heck. But he is a different dog than the first, much more interested in pleasing me and not so danged independent. So maybe its the dog, maybe its the method, but I think it would have been nice to know a few years back!

Rowdy was born 3/30 and this was 6/25, so not quite three months. I did switch to Lardy after a bit. I was having a hard time getting Rowdy to go while doing the steady drill that Hillman does. Putting dog in sit position and then walking out and throwing the bumper out from you at an angle back.

So, I went to the more traditional approach to steadying Rowdy. But to build his drive I had a birdboy (wife) throw and let him go while the bumper was in the air.

With all the programs you have to read the dog an adjust. Hillmans method of teaching sit worked great for Rowdy and I think has lead to his remarkely (sp?) calm attitude at the line.

Some of you may have noticed I was using a paint roller for a dummy. Rowdy was so small at first that the regular dummies were too heavy. I tried to order some of the foam dummies, like Hillman uses, from gundogsuppy but they were backordered. So I used small paint rollers.